[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 35 (Wednesday, February 24, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S835]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                          American Rescue Plan

  Mr. President, even now, even as we continue to confirm President 
Biden's nominees here on the floor, the Senate Democratic majority is 
busy working on the American Rescue Plan. The country has just suffered 
from a once-in-a-century event that shuttered thousands of businesses, 
sapped more than 10 million jobs, and, according to CBO, left a $17 
trillion hole in our economy.
  As the distribution of the vaccine finally begins to accelerate under 
the Biden administration, there is certainly hope on the horizon. But 
we are a far way off from a full recovery, and it is our job--our job--
to help millions of Americans--struggling Americans--through the next 
several months of difficulty and hasten the day when our country can 
finally return to normal.
  The American Rescue Plan is designed to do just that--keep American 
families and businesses and schools and workers afloat until they can 
get back on their feet. And there is a broad consensus that our country 
needs more support to get through this crisis. Mayors and Governors 
from both parties support the plan. The Republican Governor of West 
Virginia told Congress: ``[W]e need to go big.''
  Economists from across the political spectrum say that our economy 
needs further support. The Chair of the Federal Reserve, appointed by 
President Trump, just told us that ``the economic recovery remains 
uneven and far from complete, and the path ahead is highly uncertain.'' 
Chairman Powell, hardly a raving liberal, concluded: ``There is a long 
way to go.''
  And it has broad support in America. Seven in 10 Americans approve of 
the American Rescue Plan. In some polls I have seen, a majority of 
Republicans approve of this plan--Republican voters, not Republicans 
here in the Senate.
  Now, it is easy to see why there is such broad support. The COVID 
pandemic is the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, the 
worst public health crisis our Nation has faced in 100 years. But our 
Republican colleagues say all these groups demanding the $1.9 trillion 
American Rescue Plan--business leaders, government officials from both 
parties, economists from across the spectrum, and 7 in 10 Americans--
Republicans say all of them are wrong.
  According to a report in CNN, Republican leaders are maneuvering to 
get every single Republican Member to oppose the emerging legislation--
every single one.
  Make no mistake, Republicans oppose the American Rescue Plan to the 
detriment of the country, and they do so at their own political peril. 
If our Republican colleagues want to oppose direct checks to struggling 
families; food assistance to hungry Americans; keeping teachers, 
firefighters, and essential public employees on the job; providing 
another round of support for small business; helping schools reopen as 
quickly and safely as possible; speeding vaccinations around the 
country--well, if congressional Republicans want to oppose all that, my 
response is, good luck.
  The country needs this final push. It is overwhelmingly popular. A 
new analysis this morning showed another vaccine produced by a U.S. 
company is safe and effective, which only underscores the need for 
Federal dollars to accelerate its distribution. It will help millions 
of American families survive the ongoing crisis, recuperate from the 
economic hardship of the past year, and set our country on a firm path 
to recovery.
  That is why Senate Democrats have made it the first legislative item 
on our agenda. By stark contrast, the first action item taken by the 
Republican Senate majority when they got the majority in 2017 was an 
attempt to repeal our Nation's healthcare law and rip health coverage 
away from millions of Americans. Republicans followed it up with a 
giant tax cut disproportionately aimed at rich corporations and the 
uber-rich.
  The Democratic Senate majority is going to start on a much different 
note. This week, the House--and soon thereafter the Senate--will start 
working on President Biden's American Rescue Plan to deliver 
desperately and urgently needed assistance to the American people.
  One final note on this topic--the minimum wage. As it has been 
reported widely, the Senate Parliamentarian is hearing arguments today 
on the $15 minimum wage policy included in the House version of the 
bill. According to the Congressional Budget Office, raising the Federal 
minimum wage to $15 an hour has a significant budgetary impact, which 
should make it permissible under the Senate's reconciliation rules.
  I want to thank all of the hard-working Senate staffers on my staff, 
Senator Sanders' staff, and many others in participating in these 
arguments today.